


It's Electrifying

by hollyandvice (hiasobi_writes)



Series: Holly's Round Seven H/C Bingo Card [6]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Electrocution, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-03
Updated: 2016-07-03
Packaged: 2018-07-19 23:45:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7382389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hiasobi_writes/pseuds/hollyandvice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barry's used to getting injured in his line of work. He's just not used to this particular form of injury.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's Electrifying

Before he became The Flash, Barry Allen had never experienced severe electric shock. Well, unless you counted the lightning strike that made him The Flash as being before he became The Flash, but that's really just splitting hairs, and Barry doesn't do that. Much.

In the year since becoming The Flash, however, Barry's pretty sure he's suffered electric shock of varying levels of severity way more than is normal. Probably more than ten times the average for a human. The _lifetime_ average. But unlike the average human, his body seems to be incredibly attuned to the power of electrical energy. Usually, rather than injuring him, the electric shock actually makes him feel good. It's a jolt to his system, reminding him where his powers came from, where The Flash came from, where _he_ came from, at least in this incarnation of him, and that reminder is always welcome. 

Not this time, though. This time he's pretty sure he's going to be laid up for a few hours, if not overnight. Which, for someone that moves as fast as he does, really does feel like forever. It hurts to move much more than an inch at a time right now, and it's only Caitlin's careful attention to his status and the low-grade painkillers she's pumping into his system that keeps it from being painful just to breathe. He won't let her put anything more powerful in his system just yet, for fear that the meta might make another attack, and Barry doesn't dare be as useless as the painkillers make him just yet. So he's holding out on the lightest dose of the weakest painkiller he can handle, and waiting for the other shoe to drop.

It isn't until Joe makes it out to the lab that Barry begins to feel like things might actually end up okay. There's just something about having your dad around that makes everything feel more manageable.

"Hey, kiddo," Joe says, leaning in close as he takes stock of Barry's injuries. "How you feeling?"

It's an effort not to laugh. "Been better," Barry says, "though I guess I've been worse too." Joe reaches out to grasp Barry by the shoulder, his eyes serious, and Barry knows he's said too much. "Sorry," he adds quietly.

Joe shakes his head. "Just glad you're okay, son."

Barry smiles at the nickname, warmth in his chest. "Yeah. You and me both."

"What happened?"

Barry manages a tiny headshake. "My fault. Stupid mistake. The explosion the meta set off took out a few overhead power cables, and I wasn't watching where I was running while I was trying to get people out." Joe winces, and Barry offers an apologetic smile. "Got everybody out, though."

Joe's face softens. "I'm sure you did, Barry. Because that's just the kind of hero you are."

Somehow, the reminder that he does all this for a reason is all Barry needs to let the painkillers and sedatives that Caitlin's been offering seem like a good idea. "Hey Caitlin?" he calls. There's a chance the meta will show again today, but he's a damn good hero, he's done his job for the moment, and he's earned his rest for today, so he's going to take it.

**Author's Note:**

> Part of my second bingo for Round Seven of H/C Bingo, with a drive-by beta from the always lovely [Tina](http://idoltina.tumblr.com/).
> 
> [Come hang out with me on tumblr!!](http://hollyandvice.tumblr.com/)


End file.
